Cate Blanchett has admitted the thrill of winning awards is balanced by managing other people's disappointment as she accepted the best actress gong at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards.

The Australian actress stars alongside Sally Hawkins and Alec Baldwin in Woody Allen's film Blue Jasmine, which earned her the nod, and she insisted it was a team effort.

Cate said of knowing who had won before you came to the ceremony: "These are great events, it's a win-win situation because you can sit back and have a drink.

"But it's managing other people's disappointment... because Woody has made an extraordinary film and there's so many wonderful actors in it and it's great that Sally Hawkins is here tonight - it's a group effort."

Robert Redford scooped best actor for his performance of a man stranded at sea in All Is Lost, and praised director JC Chandor for creating the one-man film.

The 77-year-old actor said: "By removing a lot of elements like dialogue and special effects, many kinds of elements that new technology has brought into the business, by removing all that and creating a more pure cinematic experience, it opened it up for the audience to come closer to the action and the actor, I think that was different.

"I think, taking the dialogue out and letting the audience get close enough to the character that they would literally make that journey with him, I think that was the greatest benefit."

David O Russell's American Hustle was the big winner of the night, scooping best picture, best screenplay and best supporting actress, which Bradley Cooper accepted on behalf of co-star Jennifer Lawrence.

Jared Leto won best supporting actor for his portrayal of a drag queen in The Dallas Buyers Club, and best director went to Steve McQueen for 12 Years A Slave, who was moved to tears by Harry Belafonte's introduction of him.

McQueen was heckled from the audience by film critic Armond White, who shouted: "You're an embarrassing doorman and garbage man. F*** you. Kiss my a**!" f rom the back of The Edison Hotel Ballroom in Gotham, according to a Variety reporter seated near him.

The outburst from White, who has reportedly behaved similarly at past NYFCC ceremonies and who has critically slammed 12 Years A Slave, could not be heard from the front of the room and did not interrupt the proceedings.